Valve for water-closets



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. MENZIBS. VALVE FOR WATER LOSETS.

Patented July 9, 1895.

Av. f

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. MBNZIES.

VALVE FOR WWATER GLOSBTS.

No. 542,485. Patented July 9, 1895.

Gil/Z I- I @mung/Hmmm '1'7 H l F (No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A5I. MENZIES. VALVE FOR WATER GLosETs.

No. 542,485. Patented July 9, 1895.

A4 sheets-sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J. MENZIES. VALVE PoR WATER cLosBTs.

'ffl/11,1 7111/11/ Nrrnn STATES A-TENT OFFICE.

JOHN MENZ'IES, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VALVE FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

SPECIFCATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,485, dated July 9, 1 895.

:Application filed June 18, 1,894r `Serial No. 514,917. (No model.)

To a-ZZ whom t may concern:

ne it known thatLJoHN MENz1Es,0f New Haven, in the countyof New Haven and Stater ratus constructed in accordance with my inin side elevation of the construction shown by Fig. l with the primary ball-float broken away; Fig. 3, a view in elevation ot' a modi.

tied form of the apparatus when adaptedto have its ioat released by a hand-pull; Fig. 3, a detached plan view of one ot the guides in which the pull-rod works; Fig. 4, a view ot' the apparatus when adapted to be started in operation by means of connections with the closet-seat; Fig. a, a detailview showing the guide-trame in which the guide-finger carried by the tubular stem of the tan kvalve plays; Fig. etb,.a detached view in side elevation of the trip-tinger, the trip-bar, and the trip-rod.

My invention relates to an improved noiseless valve for water-closet tanks, the object being to produce a simple 'and effective construction, not liable to derangement, and adapted to be set in operation either manually or otherwise, and to effect the discharge of the water contained in the tank with the` minimum amount of noise and agitation.

Viih these endsin View my invention consists in a noiseless valve having certain details of construction and combinations ot' parts, as will be hereinafter described, and

`pointed out in the claims.

My improved device may be arranged to be operated automatically, in which case the discharge-valve will be opened intermittently at the device is arranged to operate automatically. In this construction the tank A, which may be of any approved form, has its bottom provided with a coupling B, the upper end of which extends up into the tank and forms a seat ,for the main discharge or tank valve C, while its lower end projects below the bottom ofthe tank and is threaded for the attachment of the discharge-pipe D, which leads to the bowl of the closet. The said valve C is secured to the lower end of a long vertically-arranged tube C', which has the twofold office ot' forming-a stem for the valve and an overflow for the tank. Toward its upper end this stem is provided with a verticallyadjustable operating-collar E, which .is engaged for lifting the stem, and hence opening the valve, by means of an inverted annular valve-tloat, having its upper end closed and its lower end open, and comprising, as shown, a shell-like body F and a tube F', corresponding to the said body in length and secured to the inwardly-turned and closed upper portion thereof, which is thereto provided with an internally-threaded collar F2, receiving the vexternally-threaded upper end ofthe tube. The said valve-ioat is located in an annular float-chamber formed in the upper end of aver'- tically-arranged cylindrical cup-like structure, secured to the bottom ot' the tank concentric With the coupling B, the main discharge or tank valve C, and the tubular stem C of the said valve. As herein shown, this cup i-s composed of a cast-metal body H, a ring H' corresponding to the said body in diameter, a diaphragm H2 introduced between' the upper endot the body and the lower end of the ring, and a guide-tube H3, secured at its lower end to the center of the diaphragm and extending at its upper end above'the upper end ofthe ring. The said body has a central opening h formed in its bottom to adapt it to receive the upper end ofthe coupling B, which is constructed with a flange b, which bears upon the inner face of the bottom of the cup, so as to hold the same in place, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The lower end ofthe said body is constructed with an annular sc ries of semicircular openings h', which-'permit the water contained in the tank to tind ready access to the valve C and coupling B. At its upper end the cup body is constructed TCO with an internally-threaded offsetting Hange 77.2, which rreceives the externally-threaded lower end of the ring H'. The diaphragm H2 is located within this flange and is held down by the impingement upon its upper face ol the lower end of the ring H'. The tube H3 has its lower end externally threaded and screwed into an internally-threaded collar h3, mounted in the center ot' the diaphragm. I do not limit myself to constructing the cup, so called, as described, for obviously it may be formed in other ways. The outer wall of the said annular float-chamber Gis formed by the said ring H', while its inner wall is formed by the guide-tube H3, which is intermediate in diameter between the external diameter of the tubular valve-stem C' and the internal diameter of the oat-tube F' before mentioned, while the bottom of the said chamber is formed bythe diaphragm H2. The said tubular valve-stem C', float-tube F', and guide-tube H3 are concentric with each other.

I may here remark that the valve-float. may, if preferred, be drawn from a single piece of metal. If desired, also, its lower end may be closed, as shown in Fig. la. The said diaphragm has mounted in it a collar I, the upper end of which forms a seat for a secondary discharge or float-chamber valve J', having a downwardly-projecting stem J2, which is engaged for opening the valve bythe iunerend of a float-lever K, hung on a pivot K', mounted in lugs K2,(of which only one is shown,) formed upon the outer face of the lower end of. the cup-body H, the outer end of the said lever being furnished with a secondary ball-float K3, of any approved construction. The valveloat is normally maintained in its depressed position, in which its upper end is depressed below the operatingcollar E, mounted on the valve-stem C', by means of a roller L, located in the inner end of a horizontally-arranged arm L', the outer end of which is rigidly secured to the lower end of a vertically-arranged releasinglever L2, which is hung at its upper end on a horizontal stud L2, mounted in the converging upper ends ot' two corresponding uprights. M M, the lower ends of which are rigidly secured to the exterior surface of the flange h2 of the cup-body H. The lower end of the said releasing-lever L2 has mounted upon it a vertically-adj ustable sleeve N, receivingV the inner end of the stem N' of a ball-float N2, which primarily makes the action of the construction now being described automatic, as will appear later on. The upper end of the said releasing-lever has connected with it the stem N3 of a ball-float N4, which is located directly over the upper end of the tubular valve-stem C', and ts into it when the same is raised to prevent air from For convenience of description I will assume that the parts of my improved device are in the positions in which they are shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, which represent the main discharge or tank Valve in its closed position andthe secondary or float-chamber valve in its open position. If now water is admitted into the tank it will flow through the openings h' in the cup-body H and rise in the cup as fast as it rises in the tank. The rst effect will be to lift the float K3 of the float-chamber Valve J, which will then close under the action of gravity, but as soon as the water reaches the level of the said valve it will lift and open the same and enter the float-chamber and immerse the open lower end of the oat, the upper'end ot' which is closed. There being, therefore, no escape for the air contained by the float, the same will not fill with water any farther' than the contained air is capable of compression by the pressure of the water. The compressed air confined in the float will now tend to buoy it up and lift it, which it would at once do except for the restraining influence of the roller L mounted in the arm L', the roller being at this time engaged with the top of the float. lVhen the water rises in the tank so as to reach the primary ball-float N2 it will gradually lift the same, which in turn will swing the releasing lever L2 on its pivot L2, and gradually withdraw the roller L and arm L' away from the closed upper end of the float. Then, when the water has risen to its full height in the tank, the valve-float will be released, when the contained air in it will at once lift it against the operating-collar E mounted on the stem C' of the dischargevalve C.

It is designed that in the construction now being described the lifting power ot' the float shall be sutiicient not only to lift the weight ot' the tank-valve and its, stem, but also to overcome the suction upon the said valve, so thatthe valve-float will be able to at once lift the valve from its seat and support it in au elevated position While the water inthe tank is being discharged through the cup-body and coupling. As the water falls and nears the bottom of the tank it will allow the secondary ball-float K3 to drop, whereupon the inner end of the float-lever K will engage with the stem J2 of the secondary or float-chamber valve J', which will be lifted from its seat so as to permit the water iu the said chamber to be discharged. Als the water Hows out of'th'is chamber the valve-float will gradually descend and permit the descent of the tubular Valve-stem C and allow the tank-valve .C to rest again upon its seat. Then, when the valve-float reaches its normal position', the roller L, carried by the arm L', rides back over its closed upper end under the gravity of the releasinglever L2 and the primary ball-Hoat N2 and its stem N'. 'lhe parts of the apparatus are thus left in positions of readiness for the relling of the tank and the repetition of the operations just detailed. It will thus be seen that rif the operation of mydevice,when constructed as shown in Figs. l and 2, is purely automatic and that the tank will be intermittently discharged at intervals represented by the time required to till it and empty it.

The apparatus described in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings might very readily be converted into an apparatus operating on the hand-pull principle by simply leaving off the primary ball-float N2 and its stem N', and locating upon the lower end of the releasinglever -a weight l, (shown` by broken lines i in the said figures) and furnished with a .perforated ear Z', for the attachment of a cord or chain, terminating at its opposite end in a handle, or some other connection for its operation by hand, so'that by pulling the chain the lower end of the lever would be thrown outward, andthe arm L and roller L withdrawn from over the upper end of the valveiioat.

In Fig. 3 ofthe drawings'fI have shown a construction similar to that first described, except for the provision for releasing the valve-float. In this construction I employ instead of the primary ball-valve which operates the `apparatus automatically, or in place of a handle connected to a chain or cord attached to the lower end of the releasinglever, a seat attachment connected with the closet-seat in` such a manner that the seat operates the apparatus. Under this construction I provide the releasing-lever L2 with'a laterally-projecting downwardly-inclined operating-finger O, and with a laterally-projecting longer upwardly-turned guide-finger O', between the end of which and the end of the operating-fingerO there is a suicient opening to receive a downwardly-inclined triplinger O2, carried by a vertically-movable trip-bar O3, playing in horizontally-arranged guides O4 and Oisecured to the adjacent bar O3 is secured to a trip-rod O6, having at` member of the two uprghts M. The tripits upper end an eye O7 for connection with the seat through any desired instrumentalities, not necessary to describe,butsutticiently made known by the statement that they maycorrespond to the seat connections shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Normally the seat will be lifted a little, and in this position of it the trip-finger O2 will occupy a position just a littleabove the operating-finger O. When, however, the seat isdepressed, the trip-bar will descend andthe trip-linger O2 engage with the upper face of the operatingfinger, which will deflect it outwardly into the space between the ends of the operating and guide fingers, after which the bar will operate by its weight to cause the trip-linger O to take a position under the operatingfinger-O. Then when the seat is allowed to lift again the bar will be lifted and the in- -clined upper `face of the trip-finger `O' enoutward Vfor a distance sufcient to clear the roller L from the valve-float. In this construction the lower end of the releasing-lever is provided with a weight L4.

It will be observed byreference to Fig. 3a of the drawings that the guides O3 and O4 are constructed so. as to permit the lateral play ot' the trip bar and rod required for gettingthe trip-linger into position under the operating-linger. Other than as just specied, the construction shown by Fig. 3 corresponds to that shown by Figs. l and 2, and the only object of the operating-guide and tripngers is to release the float to permit it to act.

In the construction shown'by Figs. 4, 4f, and 4b I have shown a modified formv of my improved apparatus, for while the valve-liloat in the apparatus shown in the other figures performs the work of overcoming the suction of the tank-valve, as well as lifting the same and its stem, the float in the construction now to be `described has power enough only to maintain the valve in an elevated position after it has been lifted by other means. In this construction the iioat, which comprises a body P and a tube P', is made on the same principle,fr but shorter than the float already described and therefore is less buoyant. Its

tube P is extended above it for engagement' with a lifting-collar Q, secured to the valvestem C of the valve C, the said collar being Verticallyadjustable on the valve-stem and .having formed with it a vertical post Q', provided at its upper and lower ends, respectively, with a downwardly-inclinedbowed op- `erating-inger vQ2 and an vupwf-trdly-inclined ICO tween them of a trip-linger Q4, carried by a i trip-bar Q5 secured to the lower end of a triprod Q6, which plays up and down througha guide Q7, carried near the upper end of an upright Q8 secured at its lower end to the IIO body of the cup. A vertical guide-frame R,

secured to the upright Q? and wider at its upper than at its lower end, co-operates with the guide-finger Q3 before mentioned. The upper end of the trip-rod Q6 is furnished with an eye Q9,by means of which it is attached to the weighted end of a trip lever S, mounted in a bracket S' secured to the topof the tank, the opposite end of the said lever being connected by a long vertical rod S2 with the outer end of a horizontal lever S3, carrying a Weight S4 pivoted, as at S5, to a bracket Sssecured toV the seat-frame S7. A `The extreme forward end of the lever S3 is connected at S8 with the seatlever T, which is hung, as at T1', to the opposite end of the bracket S6, the forward end of the seat-lever Textending under the seat S9 the linger Q4 engages with the downwardlyinclined upper edge of the finger Q2and moving laterally outward away from the tubular stem Oglances, so to speak, olf the operatingiinger and then passes under the same through the passage formed between the same and the guide-finger. f Now when the seat is released and raised by the weight S4 the rod S2 will be drawn downward and the trip-rod Q6 and bar Q5 will be raised, so as to bring the trip-inger Q4 into engagement with the under face of the operating-linger Q2. Then as the inclined upper face of the trip-finger pulls against the inclined lower face of the operating-finger, the tendency will be for the operating-finger to be pushed away from the trip-finger, and this would result except for the guide-linger, which is restrained by the guide-frame, except within narrow limits. The trip-finger therefore operates through the operatingiinger to lift the tube C and raise the valve C from its seat. As the tubular stem C is raised the guide-linger gradually moves into the wider upper part of the guide-frame R, and as fast as the guide-frame gains in width, just so fast is the stem C rotated, and the operating-finger Q2 and the trip-finger Q4 cleared from each other. Finally, when the stem is lifted to its highest position, the fingers Q2 and Qdisengage, leaving the latter free to take its normal position above the former. It will thus be seen that the lifting of the valve-stem, and hence the valve, has been done, not by the valve-float, but through the agency of the closet-seat. The buoyancy of the float now comes into play to sustain the tank-valve in its open position until the Water contained in the tank has been discharged, for although the floatis not sufficiently buoyant to overcome the suction upon the said valve, it is buoyant enough to hold the valve in an elevated position after the suction has been overcome. Then, when the water in the tank has been nearly drawn off, the ball-float Ksefects the opening of the float-chamber valve J', which lets the water out of the float-chamber G and permits the fioat to descend, and with it the tubular valvestem C and valve C. As the valve-stem C8 descends, the guide-finger Q3 will engage with the inclined outer side of the guide-frame R, the said side of the frame then operating through the said finger to rotate the stem, and hence the valve, and bring the operating-iinger Q2 again into right position under the trip Q4. It Will thus be seen that while in the construction shown by Figs. l, 2, and 3 the float is relied upon to lift the valve and maintain it in its elevated position while the contents of the tank are being discharged, in the construction shown by Fig. 4 the valve-Heat is relied upon only to maintain the valve in its elevated position after it has been lifted by other means. If desired, the lifting mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4c might be entirely done away with and replaced by a lifting-rod U, having its lower end connected with a perforated ear U', formed upon the collar Q, as

shown in broken lines in Fig. 4. It is understood that the upper end of this rod would be connected with a hand-pull 0f some suitable character not needing description.

I would call particular attention to the fact that by employing the two levers T and S3, arranged andvconnected as shown and described, Iam enabled to multiply, as it were, the slight movement ot the closet-seat S9 sufticiently to produce the required length of movement for the vertical play demanded of the trip-bar Q5, the multiplication of movement resulting from connecting the lever S3 with the leverT at a point close to butin front of the pivotal point S5 of the lever S3. It is apparent that it would be difficult to produce the same length of motion by employing one lever between the seat and the rod S2.

In Fig.4L I have shown another form of antisuction valve for preventing the sucking of air through the upper end of the tubular valvestem While the contents of the tank are being discharged. This valve V is a flat valve and pivotally connected with an arm V', attached to the upper end of the upright Q2.

In view of the changes suggested and of others which may obviouslybe made I would have it understood that I do not limit myself tothe exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and. scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the tank of a watercloset, of a valve through which the Water in the tank is discharged, a float-chamber, a valve located in the said chamber for discharging the water contained therein, and a float located in the said chamber and arranged for co-action with the valve of the tank, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the tank ofa watercloset, of a valve located therein, a tubular stem for the said valve, a cup located within the tank, concentric with the said stem and containing a float-chamber, a valve controlling the egress of the water from the bottom of the said chamber, and a float located in the said chamber and arranged to coact with the tubular valve-stem,substantially as described.

3. The combination with a tank, of a discharge valve located in the bottom thereof, a tubular stem for the said valve, a cup located Within the tank concentric with said valve and its stem, and containing a float-chamber, a valve located in the bottom'of the said oatchamber for emptying the same, a float for controlling the opening ofthe said oat-chan1 ber valve, a valve-float located in the said float-chamber, and arranged to co-act with the stem of the tank-valve, and means for normally holding the lioat in its depressed position, and for releasing it to permit it to coact with the said valve-stem in emptying the tank, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a tank, of a valve located in the bottom thereof, a vertically arranged tubular stem for the said valve, a cup located in the tank concentric with the said valve and stem, and containing in its upper portion a valve float-chamber, a Valve located in the bottom of the said iioat-chamber for emptying the same, means for opening the said valve ot' the float-chamber, an annular valve-oat located in the said chamber and co-actingwith the valve-stem to lift it, and hence the valve, and means for maintaining the oat in its normally depressed position, and for releasing it to lift the stem and valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a tank, ot' a valve located in the bottom thereof, a tubular stem for the said valve, a iioat coacting directly with the said stem to lift the said valve, a float chamber located in the tank and containing the said float, a valve for discharging the Water contained in the float chamber and means for temporarily closing the upper end of the stem for preventing the suction of air through it during the emptying of the tank, substantially as described. f

6. In a Watercloset, the combination with a tank and means4 for discharging the same for flushing the closet', of a closet-seat, and mechanism between the seat and the said means for discharging the tank, including two horizontally arranged levers one of which is engaged at its forward end by the seat, and pivotally hung at its rear end, and the other of which is pivotally connected at its forward end with the lever rst mentioned, and pivotally hung at a point close to, butin rearof its connection with the other lever, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MENZIES. Witnesses:

FRED C. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY. 

